Apple plans to start making another iPhone in India

iPhone 6s Plus will be “Assembled in India.” Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple plans to start manufacturing another iPhone in India, according to a new report.

Partner Wistron has already started trial production of the iPhone 6s Plus at its Bangalore plant, where it has been assembling the iPhone SE since last year. Source say mass-production will begin in “the next couple of weeks.”

Apple started assembling the iPhone in India in an effort to reduce costs for local consumers. Tax reforms implemented last July also helped the company slash up to 7.5 percent off its entire lineup of devices — including the Mac.

Now Apple plans to start manufacturing another iPhone in India with the help of Wistron, according to a new report.

iPhone 6s Plus enters production in India

The Economic Times, citing two people familiar with Apple’s plans, reports that the iPhone 6s Plus is already in trial production in Bangalore — where Wistron recently put together a deal that will allow it to expand its manufacturing facility with a $157 million investment.

The sources claim that mass-production is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks, and iPhone 6s Plus units “Assembled in India” will go on sale soon after. Local manufacturing will allow Apple to reduce the price of iPhone 6s Plus by 5 to 7 percent, the report adds.

This will make iPhone 6s Plus more competitive alongside devices from the likes of Samsung and OnePlus, which are popular in India as a result of their more affordable price tag.

“However, the price correction may not be reflected immediately since Wistron will not be able to fully meet the entire requirement of iPhone 6s Plus in India and imports from China will continue,” one source added. “Eventually, as the local capacity gains scale the prices will get corrected.”